Search suspended for naked woman in forest

STEVENSON — Authorities are suspending their search for a Vancouver woman who set out naked on Sunday on a spiritual quest in a southwest Washington forest.

Skamania County Sheriff Dave Brown said Tuesday evening that two days of searching have failed to find 19-year-old Maureen Kelly. He said the search is being suspended until the end of the week.

Twelve teams in four-wheel vehicles searched Tuesday but found nothing related to the hunt for the young woman. The sheriff says deputies will continue to check the area in the next several days and then the operation will be re-evaluated.

The Canyon Creek area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is steep with heavy timber and brush. The weather has included periods of drizzle with temperatures in the lower 50s.

Kelly left about 5 p.m. Sunday wearing only a fanny pack with a compass and a knife.